Berry has clean cancer test

Reds third base coach Mark Berry received the best news he could have received on Thursday.

Berry is cancer free.

“I was very pleased. Great news,” Berry said after the Reds took a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals. “I won’t forget this day. And a nice win to top it off.”

Berry was diagnosed with cancer in his tonsils and lymph nodes during Spring Training in March and took a leave from the club to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He returned to part-time work and traveling in June before resuming coaching at third base in mid-July.

On Wednesday, Berry underwent the PET scan exam to see if the treatments were successful.

“I went through a 16-inning game [Wednesday] night, knowing the test was over but not knowing the results,” Berry said. “At third base, I was focused and locked in but when I got into the dugout, I was thinking about it. Of course, anybody would. But I wasn’t overly nervous. I felt good about it.

“The first thing they said was the scans came out really clean, really nice.”

Berry, a 30-year member of the organization, was also told that no cancer cells had spread to the rest of his body.

For the next five years, Berry will need follow-up tests to make sure cancer hasn’t returned. He will be tested every three months the first year.

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6 Comments

Way to go, Coach! I was diagnosed with the EXACT same thing July 21, 2011. November 1 will be the two year anniversary of my treatment ending. I had surgery followed up by 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. I’m a year and a half cancer free and have followed your progress. I live in Texas but was in Cincy a couple of weeks ago during the Diamondbacks series. I was happy to see you on the field! Keep up the good fight!

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